Longtime Durham First Selectman Announces Resignation

DURHAM, CT — Longtime Durham First Selectman Laura Francis announced that she is resigning from her post effective July 18. Francis served the town for 30 years.

She is leaving the post to take a position with the South Central Region Council of Governments.

Francis wrote the following statement regarding her resignation:

Dear Residents,

After 30 years of service to the Town of Durham, I am writing to inform the public that this morning I delivered to Kim Garvis, our Town Clerk my letter of resignation from the position of First Selectman, effective July 18, 2022.

It has been the supreme honor of my life to serve Durham citizens first as your Assistant Town Clerk, as your Town Clerk and now as your First Selectman. I am proud of the offices I have held, the work I have performed and the achievements I have accomplished. I am very appreciative of the assistance I have received from the Town Hall staff, hundreds of volunteers and town, state, and federal officials. Working with all these people has given me much satisfaction and joy.

I have been a good steward of town government and I believe it is time for me to step down and make room for the next generation of town leaders. I ran for re-election in 2019 because I felt an obligation to finish certain major projects, most notably the Water Main Extension project. Knowing that our residents have access to a clean, reliable, and secure water supply gives special meaning to my years as your First Selectman.

I have accepted an offer to become the Deputy Director/Director of Transportation Planning at the South Central Region Council of Governments. Towns across Connecticut, including Durham, are becoming dependent on the partnership with Councils of Governments for many essential services, including management of state and federal funding that has recently been made available to municipalities. I look forward to my new role in regional government which will allow me to work on projects in a larger area and with people I’ve been associated with through much of my time in Durham.

I want to thank you, the citizens of Durham, for the trust and faith you have put in me, making my years of service possible. I want to give a special thank you to my family. Their support allowed me to meet the rigorous demands of the office. There were many nights and weekends when I was called to duty, and I always knew my husband and children would be there no matter the time it took to complete my work. Lastly, there were and are many people who I call my advisors, educators, critics, and yet, all friends. You have helped me to be a better public servant and in doing so, enriched my life in so many ways.

I wish you all blessings for health, safety, and happiness.

With respect and gratitude,

Laura L. Francis

First Selectman